Hazard-evaluation and technical-assistance report HETA 90-122-l2073, technical assistance to San Francisco General Hospital and Medical Center, San Francisco, California

Moss, C E; Seitz, T

Title: Hazard-evaluation and technical-assistance report HETA 90-122-l2073, technical assistance to San Francisco General Hospital and Medical Center, San Francisco, California

Full Record
Other Related Research

Abstract

In response to a request from the Director of the Environmental Health and Safety Department of the San Francisco General Hospital and Medical Center, located in San Francisco, California, an evaluation was undertaken of possible hazardous working conditions at that site. Concern existed about exposures to hazards while operating the germicidal lamp at the facility. Germicidal lamps were used to disinfect the air in tuberculosis and aerosolized pentamidine clinics. The workers wore no protective eye wear. All rooms used a 30 watt germicidal lamp. Lower wattage bulbs in the smaller rooms would have reduced occupational ultraviolet (UV) exposure. Reflectance levels of UV radiation were quite high and varied. Worker exposure to germicidal lamp UV levels was dependent on many factors, some of the most important ones being the position of the bulb in the room, age of the bulb, obstruction of the UV radiation by objects near the bulb, and the height of the worker. While there are no consensus guidelines available on ventilation systems designed for areas where germicidal lamps are used, the provision of good room air distribution and mixing is recommended to prevent stagnant air conditions or short circuiting of supply air within the room. Bulb changersmore »« less

Authors:: Moss, C E; Seitz, T

Publication Date:: Mon Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 1990

Research Org.:: National Inst. for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, OH (USA)

OSTI Identifier:: 5612639

Report Number(s):: PB-91-169359/XAB; HETA-90-122-L2073

Resource Type:: Technical Report

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: 99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS//MATHEMATICS, COMPUTING, AND INFORMATION SCIENCE; HOSPITALS; ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION; OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE; RISK ASSESSMENT; VENTILATION; BUILDINGS; ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION; MEDICAL ESTABLISHMENTS; RADIATIONS; 552000* - Public Health

Citation Formats


                    Moss, C E, and Seitz, T. Hazard-evaluation and technical-assistance report HETA 90-122-l2073, technical assistance to San Francisco General Hospital and Medical Center, San Francisco, California.  United States: N. p., 1990. 
        Web.

Copy to clipboard


                    Moss, C E, & Seitz, T. Hazard-evaluation and technical-assistance report HETA 90-122-l2073, technical assistance to San Francisco General Hospital and Medical Center, San Francisco, California.  United States.

Copy to clipboard


                    Moss, C E, and Seitz, T. 1990.  
        "Hazard-evaluation and technical-assistance report HETA 90-122-l2073, technical assistance to San Francisco General Hospital and Medical Center, San Francisco, California".  United States.

Copy to clipboard


                    
@article{osti_5612639,

  title        = {Hazard-evaluation and technical-assistance report HETA 90-122-l2073, technical assistance to San Francisco General Hospital and Medical Center, San Francisco, California},

  author       = {Moss, C E and Seitz, T},

  abstractNote = {In response to a request from the Director of the Environmental Health and Safety Department of the San Francisco General Hospital and Medical Center, located in San Francisco, California, an evaluation was undertaken of possible hazardous working conditions at that site. Concern existed about exposures to hazards while operating the germicidal lamp at the facility. Germicidal lamps were used to disinfect the air in tuberculosis and aerosolized pentamidine clinics. The workers wore no protective eye wear. All rooms used a 30 watt germicidal lamp. Lower wattage bulbs in the smaller rooms would have reduced occupational ultraviolet (UV) exposure. Reflectance levels of UV radiation were quite high and varied. Worker exposure to germicidal lamp UV levels was dependent on many factors, some of the most important ones being the position of the bulb in the room, age of the bulb, obstruction of the UV radiation by objects near the bulb, and the height of the worker. While there are no consensus guidelines available on ventilation systems designed for areas where germicidal lamps are used, the provision of good room air distribution and mixing is recommended to prevent stagnant air conditions or short circuiting of supply air within the room. Bulb changers need to be aware of the need for protective clothing and gloves for protection from both the UV radiation levels as well as possible glass breakage.},

  doi          = {},

  url          = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/5612639},
  journal      = {},
number       = ,

  volume       = ,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {Mon Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 1990},

  month        = {Mon Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 1990}

}

Copy to clipboard

Technical Report:

Other availability

Please see Document Availability for additional information on obtaining the full-text document. Library patrons may search WorldCat to identify libraries that may hold this item. Keep in mind that many technical reports are not cataloged in WorldCat.

Save / Share:

Export Metadata

Save to My Library

Similar records in OSTI.GOV collections:

Health hazard evaluation report HETA 98-0041-2741, San Francisco Municipal Railway, Flynn Facility, San Francisco, California

Technical Report Blade, L; Mortimer, V

The Director of Public Transportation for the City and County of San Francisco, California, requested that the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSHS) conduct a health hazard evaluation (HHE) at the San Francisco Municipal Railway's Flynn Facility. This facility serves as a base of operations for approximately 123 diesel-powered buses, leading to employee exposures to diesel-engine exhaust emissions in the workplace air. The requester, concerned about the potential adverse effects of these exposures on workers' health and about the apparent ineffectiveness of the facility's ventilation systems and other exposure-control measures, asked that NIOSH evaluate workplace exposures along withmore »« less
Health hazard evaluation report HETA 92-171-2255, Onondaga County Medical Examiner's Office, Syracuse, New York

Technical Report Seitz, T

In response to a request from the Division of Bacterial and Mycotic Diseases (DBMD), National Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control, an evaluation of environmental conditions and procedures used to prevent tuberculosis transmission was carried out at the Medical Examiner's Office, Syracuse, New York. About 18 persons were employed at the Office, which conducted 600 to 700 autopsies per year. There was air mixing between the morgue and office areas. Ultraviolet radiation levels in the morgue were high due to the use of six ceiling mounted germicidal ultraviolet lamps providing direct irradiation of the area below. Louvers andmore »« less
Health hazard evaluation report No. HETA-81-054-1010, Environmental Protection Agency, San Francisco, California

Technical Report Belanger, P; Okawa, M

In February 1981, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) received a request for a health hazard evaluation from a representative of the Environmental Protection Agency workers, Local No. 1 of the National Federation of Federal Employees. The requestor was concerned that employees working on the fifth and sixth floors at 215 Fremont Street, San Francisco, CA., may be exposed to street level vehicle exhausts entering the intake ventilation system located on the rooftop. It was reported that diesel fumes were smelled occasionally during the day. Several workers were reported to complain of headaches, stuffy nose and uppermore »« less
Health hazard evaluation report No. HETA 81-164-982, Pacific Telephone Company, San Francisco, California

Technical Report Belanger, P; Okawa, M

On February 9, 1981, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) received a request for a Health Hazard Evaluation at the Pacific Telephone Company office at 215 Fremont Street, San Francisco, California. Concern was expressed over exposure to vehicle emissions from street traffic (carbon monoxide fumes) entering the intake ventilation system, and that the air conditioning unit did not work properly, resulting in overcooling or overheating and dry air. Air sampling was conducted on all four floors for carbon dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, and sulfur dioxide. Carbon dioxide concentrations were below the limit of detection, and no nitrogen dioxidemore »« less
Health Hazard Evaluation Report HETA-85-020-1587, Department of the Interior, San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Newark, California

Technical Report Belanger, P

Area air samples were analyzed for formaldehyde at the San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Newark, California in November and December, 1984. The evaluation was requested by the manager to investigate whether the office staff at the headquarters and visitor center were being exposed to indoor air contaminants due to outgassing from plastic furniture, wood paneling, and the synthetic carpet. Six employees were interviewed to determine if they had experienced any symptoms of formaldehyde exposure. The author concludes that a health hazard does not exist at the facility, but recommends that the formalin solution be well controlled to prevent vaporsmore »« less

Similar Records